The present invention relates generally to radar detectors or other devices which can be mounted to the interior of a windshield of a motor vehicle and, more particularly, to a method and apparatus for mounting such devices so that they can be rapidly secured to the windshield and rapidly removed therefrom.
Radar detectors are preferably mounted in motor vehicles to have an unobstructed view through the windshield of the vehicle. Such mountings provide a direct line-of-sight view of the road ahead of the vehicle for the antenna of the detector to best receive radar signals to be detected. One of three forms of mounting is normally provided: (1) a device using suction cups such as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,648,572 wherein a mount is secured to the windshield by one or more suction cups and in turn supports the radar detector; (2) a device using spring clips or the like for clipping the radar detector to a sun visor; and, (3) a device which more permanently secures a radar detector to or within a vehicle such as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,684,164.
Each of the currently available mounting designs has disadvantages. In the case of the visor mounts, use of the visor becomes difficult, if not impossible, whenever the radar detector is in use. In addition, the operating mechanism of the visor can be damaged by having to support the additional weight of the radar detector, and repeated attachment and removal of the radar detector to the visor can damage or disfigure the visor and thus the appearance of the interior of the motor vehicle. In the case of permanent installation of a radar detector, it cannot be conveniently removed to prevent theft or so that it can be used in more than one motor vehicle. Further, permanent installation often requires substantial labor and alterations resulting in inconvenience and expense.
In contrast to the preceding, the use of suction cups to mount a radar detector has many advantages. For example, the radar detector can be installed and removed considerably more easily. The use of suction cups permits flexible installation such that the user can select almost any position on the interior of the windshield of a motor vehicle for installation. No alterations of the vehicle are required and no additional hardware is required for installation. It is apparent that suction cup mountings are particularly convenient for users who commonly use more than one vehicle from time to time.
Unfortunately, in spite of the advantages of suction cups, currently available suction cup mounts include some very annoying disadvantages. For example, if only one suction cup is used, the mount tends to be unstable and the radar detector may rotate around the axis of the suction cup as the motion of the vehicle applies constantly changing forces to the radar detector. Further, improper installation can cause the single suction cup to fail, dropping the radar detector from its installed position on the windshield.
Mounts using more than one suction cup are difficult to align upon installation due to a common problem inherent in all currently available suction cup mounts: once installed, the suction cup mounts are difficult to remove from the windshield. In an attempt to alleviate the removal problem, some mounts include suction cups with a protrusion or "ear" attached to the outer periphery of the cups. By pulling the ear, the seal around the suction cup is broken removing the vacuum within and detaching the suction cup from the windshield. Unfortunately, such protrusions are normally difficult to reach and, for mounts using more than one suction cup, each cup must be individually detached using its own ear. Further, for all currently available suction cup mounts, it is difficult if not impossible to both manipulate the ear(s) of the suction cup(s) and to properly support the radar detector or other supported device as it is disconnected from the interior of the windshield, particularly with one hand.
Accordingly, there is a need for an improved mounting arrangement for securing radar detectors and other devices to the interior of a windshield of a motor vehicle so that they can be rapidly secured to the windshield and rapidly removed therefrom. Preferably, the mounting arrangement would utilize suction cups to capitalize on their inherent advantages, and permit rapid installation and removal using only one hand.